Courtesy of Judith Gregg Librarian Catherine Arbogast heads out with a personalized book delivery from the Los Altos main library.

Love of learning and curiosity about the world sometimes grow only more urgent as a person spends more and more time at home, limited by age, health condition, or both. Librarians head out from the Los Altos main l...

Already known as an innovator in the tech field, Google Inc. is now moving in on the art world.

The Mountain View-based company July 11 launched the “Paint the Town” contest, a “moving art experiment” that invites California residents over the age of 13 to submit physical or digital artwork that would decorate the door...

Traci Newell/Town Crier The six-week, tuition-free Stretch to Kindergarten program, hosted at Bullis Charter School, serves children who have not attended preschool. A teacher leads children in singing about the parts of a butterfly, above.

courtesy of Rishi Bommannan Rishi Bommannan cycled from Bates College in Maine to his home in Los Altos Hills, taking several selfies along the way. He also raised nearly $13,000 for the Livestrong Foundation, which supports cancer patients.

The Town Crier’s recent article on coyotes venturing down from the foothills in search of sustenance referenced the organization Project Coyote (“Recent coyote attacks keep residents on edge,” July 1). Do not waste your time contac...

Photos by Alicia Castro/Town Crier Local residents participate in an exercise class at the Grant Park Senior Center, above. Betsy Reeves, below left with Gail Enenstein, lobbied for senior programming in south Los Altos.

Grace Wilson Franks, our beloved mother and grandmother, left us peacefully on July 16, 2015 just a few weeks short of her 92nd birthday. She was born to Ross and Florence (Cruzan) Wilson in rural Tulare, California on Septem...

Most of us have a place inside our hearts and minds that occasionally causes us trouble. For some, it is sadness, depression or despair. For others, it may be fear, anger, resentment or myriad other emotional “dark places” that at times seem to hij...

Last week’s jewelry theft in downtown Los Altos may be connected to similar crimes in other California cities over the past 16 months, but police continue to investigate before drawing any conclusions.

The Nov. 29 robbery of two jewelry distributors outside Garvani Diamond Brokers on First Street resembles recent crimes in Burlingame, South San Francisco and the Los Angeles area. Los Altos Police Capt. Andy Galea said his department is collaborating with agencies in those areas to determine if the incidents are linked.

Like the other robberies, last week’s heist “was sophisticated and well orchestrated,” Los Altos Police Chief Tuck Younis said. “Obviously, these victims were specific targets.”

Two New York-based distributors were robbed moments after leaving Garvani – located at 300 First St., near Draeger’s Market – at approximately 6 p.m.

Four unknown suspects allegedly wearing ski masks and dark clothing pulled up in a sedan alongside the victims, who were in their car on First Street. One suspect seized an undisclosed amount of jewelry from the backseat, according to Galea.

No weapons were reportedly used or seen, but one of the distributors was struck on the shoulder, Galea said. The victim did not need medical attention.

A similar crime occurred in January outside the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Burlingame, where six men robbed a private jewelry dealer at gunpoint. The suspects were later arrested in Los Angeles and remain in custody, according to police.

Capt. Mike Matteucci of the Burlingame Police Department said that if there is a connection between those six suspects and the four in the Los Altos robbery, it would indicate that they are part of a larger, organized ring.

Scott Bunch of the Los Altos police said Monday the department has no leads but continues to assess witness statements and vet security camera footage from surrounding businesses. Police are withholding witness statements to avoid influencing other accounts.

David Harris, Garvani co-owner, said he called police after the two victims told him what had occurred. Harris said the victims, who had just conducted business with Garvani, chased the suspects on foot as they drove away.

Galea said this type of robbery isn’t uncommon.

“Typically, (the jewelry dealers) will have been either surveilled or (the robbers) will know when they’re scheduled to make a delivery,” he said.

“From what I’ve seen in the past, and talking to other dealers, these (robbers) are very patient,” Harris said. “They follow the (dealer), see when he’s going to be in town, watch the buildings.”

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